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Republicans Must Be a National Party
WSJ Opinion Journal ^ | February 14, 2009 | Fred Barnes

Posted on 02/14/2009 4:43:12 AM PST by Jim Noble

His grandfather Prescott Bush was a U.S. senator, and his father and brother were presidents. Yet Jeb Bush doesn't believe in political dynasties, and seems perfectly willing to let his family's legacy of serving in high office in Washington pass him by.

But Mr. Bush becomes animated when talking about ideas and policy innovations -- he's an unorthodox Republican who latches onto reform ideas wherever he finds them. He's a fan of the school system in Sweden (more on this below)....

"Beyond the ideas and all of that," Mr. Bush says the GOP must be a national party. That means "we need to be competitive in California,"...

Republicans must also clean up their act on immigration, Mr. Bush insists. Last year, he says they "set a tone" that pushed Hispanic voters away. "The tone of the debate reached a point that was very damning to the Republican Party, and the evidence is in. The chest pounders lost."....

Mr. Bush supports immigration reform as championed by his brother and John McCain, which would allow illegals already in this country to stay. "Politics has to be about ideas and values and aspirations." he says. "It shouldn't be about anger and preying on people's emotions. You can't lead a mob."...

Mr. Bush has kind words for Mr. Obama. He was the first Democrat to win Florida since 1976, and Mr. Bush has nothing but praise for his "spectacularly well-run campaign....

Mr. Bush has a personal motive for urging Republicans to "avoid personal, partisan attacks" on Mr. Obama, a strategy they've largely followed in Washington. "I would never want Obama to go through what my brother went through.... But it's not right for our country, it's not going to help us, and it's not going to help Republicans."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; conservatism; gop; grassroots; itsalive; nightoflivingdead; nomorebushes; rinopurge; rnc
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To: Little Ray; jla
I suspect Jeb is a Shamensty supporter, just like his brother.

Suspect???

Per the article: "Mr. Bush supports immigration reform as championed by his brother and John McCain, which would allow illegals already in this country to stay."

81 posted on 02/14/2009 7:40:47 AM PST by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: Jim Noble
Fred Barnes is a stupid RINO himself, and his running off at the mouth has aways caused more harm than good to the republicans.
82 posted on 02/14/2009 7:41:44 AM PST by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
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To: Cedric
Well there is an opening is south Florida for a home inspector, I think he has those qualifications. If not that there is always a need for alligator bait.
83 posted on 02/14/2009 7:44:19 AM PST by org.whodat (Auto unions bad: Machinists union good=Hypocrisy)
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To: org.whodat

Based upon a couple of the quotes in the article, I’ll be glad to provide a reference if he chooses to apply for job number two.


84 posted on 02/14/2009 7:52:46 AM PST by Cedric
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To: 668 - Neighbor of the Beast

Dittos on that one.

Jeb Bush earned my contempt with his wimp out approach.


85 posted on 02/14/2009 8:04:10 AM PST by Nextrush (Sarah Palin is the new Ronald Reagan.)
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To: chainsaw

Don’t forget that W pushed Specter in 2004 and take notes on who helps Arlen next year. Talk show hosts, elected officials etc.

Arlen Specter needs to lose the primary here in PA next year and I’ll be ready not to vote for anyone for president who shows their support for his sorry a** in the primary.


86 posted on 02/14/2009 8:14:43 AM PST by Nextrush (Sarah Palin is the new Ronald Reagan.)
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To: WorkingClassFilth
Excellent analysis. Honestly speaking, I would have enthusiastically settled and voted for a RINO Republican like Rudi or Romney who would at least fight back once in awhile and don't seem to take the delight the Bush-McCain-Wall Streeters take in shoving amnesty and other socialist policies on us.

But with people like Sarah and Bobby Jindal warming up in the bullpen, we don't have to settle for them anymore. I do think we have to respect them and recognize that they can win over some voters who aren't ready for real conservatives yet, but they should be playing a supporting role and not taking center stage.

87 posted on 02/14/2009 8:23:47 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Jim Noble
The only Bush I want to see near the WH:
88 posted on 02/14/2009 9:03:11 AM PST by arealconservativeforachange (Tell JD Hayworth to run for McCain's seat! http://www.jdhayworth.com/contact.php)
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To: Jim Noble
Republicans must also clean up their act on immigration, Mr. Bush insists. Last year, he says they "set a tone" that pushed Hispanic voters away. "The tone of the debate reached a point that was very damning to the Republican Party, and the evidence is in. The chest pounders lost."....

No, the tone of the RINOs pushed conservatives away. Pandering to a block of voters by supporting those who have broken our laws is what has killed the GOP. (Along with other liberal agenda items they've taken on.)
89 posted on 02/14/2009 9:34:05 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: hellbender
Uh, Bush III, California is now out of reach, because it's 37% Hispanic.

Is that all? Sure seems like a lot more. I'd love to leave Mexifornia and get back to the US someday.
90 posted on 02/14/2009 9:36:49 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: kabar

Excellent post backed up with facts, kabar. That’s what I love about FR - intelligent, reasoned, logical discussons!


91 posted on 02/14/2009 9:38:48 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: rabscuttle385
Mr. Bush supports immigration reform as championed by his brother and John McCain, which would allow illegals already in this country to stay. "Politics has to be about ideas and values and aspirations." he says. "It shouldn't be about anger and preying on people's emotions. You can't lead a mob."...

Now, he's identifying conservatives with mobs? What an idiot. Exactly, what people have been unruly mobs marching in the streets demanding things? I haven't seen a group of well-dressed, articulate, polite conservatives doing this. It's the 3rd world mob-mentality of the illegals that have done and will continue to try to intimidate. Apparently, it worked with Bush. But then, he's no conservative. And has no spine.
92 posted on 02/14/2009 9:41:27 AM PST by CottonBall
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To: Jim Noble

Fred Barnes is irrelevant and he should be kicked off the FoxNews panel. It’s journalists like him who have ruined the RNC. Barnes, a happy retirement to you.


93 posted on 02/14/2009 9:43:32 AM PST by Steelfish
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To: familyop; Jim Noble
The truth is that the Mob shouldn't be leading.

Well, that's exactly what unfettered democracy is: mob rule.

94 posted on 02/14/2009 9:45:39 AM PST by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: org.whodat

All I needed to see was Fred Barnes and Jeb Bush ... RINOs.

Not even worth the read.


95 posted on 02/14/2009 9:47:19 AM PST by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: Jim Noble
Last year, he says they "set a tone" that pushed Hispanic voters away. "The tone of the debate reached a point that was very damning to the Republican Party, and the evidence is in. The chest pounders lost."....

Jeb should be made to realize that the tone of the debate reached the point that it did because the federal government had pointedly ignored their responsibility for going on twenty years!!!

The gulf between the governed and the government just keeps getting wider...

96 posted on 02/14/2009 9:50:51 AM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: Jim Noble
"What comes through when Mr. Bush is asked about education is how radical his views are. He would toss out the traditional K-to-12 scheme in favor of a credit system, like colleges have.

"It's not based on seat time," he says. "It's whether you accomplished the task. Now we're like GM in its heyday of mass production. We don't have a flourishing education system that's customized. There's a whole world out there that didn't exist 10 years ago, which is online learning. We have the ability today to customize learning so we don't cast young people aside."

I love those ideas. There is absolutely NO reason for a teenager to have to stay sitting, bored, in a classroom until they've gotten enough 'seat time'. Let them get the credits, then get out and do some growing up. We drag adolescence out WAY too long in this country, and we've seen lately that the kids get so used to it, that it drags well into their thirties, sometimes.

97 posted on 02/14/2009 10:48:29 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus; Jim Noble

He said plainly that he’s not interested in running for office.


98 posted on 02/14/2009 10:49:14 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: hellbender
All of the new non-European immigrant groups (Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, Africans) vote heavily Demonrat. Tancredo was the only politician with the guts to advocate an end (or at least drastic restrictions) to any further immigration.

Maybe you didn't notice, but a LOT of those European immigrants voted Democrat, too. This country NEEDS immigrants, always has, always will, and it just so happens that the countries with excess population are mostly third world nations, and are of different ethnicity than Europeans. Nothing wrong with immigrants, we just need to make sure that those who arrive are here LEGALLY, and are not enemies before they're allowed in.

When they get here, they should be WELCOMED by the Republicans, rather than made to feel like they're some sort of scum of the earth. If the Republicans welcomed them, and talked about how America is the land of opportunity for those who work hard, some of those folks might even just think about voting for the GOP candidates.

Jeb was right in that too many Republicans were frothing at the mouth about immigration, and most people don't make a distinction, where they hear 'immigrants', between legal and illegal. They just assume that the person complaining is xenophobic, and frankly, some of them are.

99 posted on 02/14/2009 11:01:31 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: rabscuttle385
To him and to his like-minded Freepers, it's all about winning elections, principles be damned!

Take a look at the crowd in charge of DC, and tell us it's not important who's in charge.

100 posted on 02/14/2009 11:04:14 AM PST by SuziQ
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